When it comes to selecting fiction titles for our readers, I leave that skilled enterprise to our library’s “Reader’s Advisor”, Sally Hansen. After all, with her zillion years of bookstore experience, she knows what books are going to be popular and how many copies to order to satisfy the readership. She’s a really great asset to the Library.

But, when I saw the title, “Who Died In Here, 25 Mystery Stories of Crimes and Bathrooms”, I just had to see the book added to the library’s shelves. Also, I had to be the first one to read it.

With short stories entitled, “”Just Passin’ Through”, “Caught With His Pants Down”, “Praying to the Porcelain God”, “Problem Plumbing”, etc., the book had to be a winner, especially for those who like to read a story in just one sitting.

I wasn’t disappointed in the author’s selection of short stories which ranges from the zany to the deadly serious. And just think, every one of these whodunit stories is somehow connected to a bathroom. Some of the stories are downright funny from start to finish while others border on the twisted side of looking at life and death. .

Kris Neir, the author of "Nothing Good Ever Came of a Bad Hair Day” describes the ultimate revenge against a certain hairdresser by her lawyer client who believed that a bad hair cut was a good excuse for murder.

The author, Ben Vincent, uses a widespread blackout of a few years ago for the setting of his story, "What David Was Doing When the Lights Went Out". It can’t get any zanier than when you try to commit murder with a hair dryer and the power goes out.

Payback is the theme for the story "One for the Road" by Pat Dennis. A couple of senior citizens figure out a nasty way to get even with an unscrupulous service station operator who specializes in fixing unnecessary repairs on senior-owned RV's.

In "Port-O-Prince" by R. J. Mills, a missing port-a-potty holds the body of a hapless police department “human resources” clerk murdered by a revengeful police officer.

Whatever your style of reading---whether it be lying in bed or parked on a porcelain throne--you won’t find a stinker in the bunch.

Recent donations to the Columbus Library Foundation include a gift from Mr. and Mrs. Lloyd Castner in memory of Donald Korger, a memorial from Mr. and Mrs. Carroll Channer in honor of Nadine Skarka, a memorial from Mr. and Mrs. Dean Soulliere in honor of “Bud” Van Berg and a donation from Mr. and Mrs. Richard Luebbe in memory of Tony Schneider. The Foundation also received a BD Matching Gift in response to a donation from Mr. and Mrs. Craid Neid.